Merkel stays put with help from reluctant SPD

CHANCELLOR Angela Merkel yesterday vowed to work with the Social Democrats for the good of Germany, after the centre-left party cleared the last hurdle in the way of the veteran leader’s fourth term by agreeing to join her new coalition.

Two in three of the SPD’s rank and file voting in a make-or-break referendum backed a new partnership with Merkel’s conservatives, heralding an end to the political stalemate that had plagued Europe’s biggest economy since September’s inconclusive elections.

But the chancellor, in power for 12 years, will go into her fourth term with far weaker cards than before, as she had to pay a high price to coax the reluctant Social Democratic Party back into another loveless “grand coalition”.

Congratulating the SPD for its clear result, Merkel said using her CDU party’s Twitter account that she was looking forward to “further cooperation for the good of our country”.

Stung by their worst post-war results, the SPD had initially ruled out another four years under Merkel’s shadow, but after Merkel’s attempt to cobble together a government with two smaller parties failed, the SPD relented.

With the party riven over its way forward, its leadership promised its more than 460 000 members the final say on any coalition deal.

“We now have clarity. The SPD will be in the next government,” SPD’s caretaker chairman Olaf Scholz said, adding that his party planned to send three men and three women ministers to the cabinet.

European partners waiting impatiently for post-war Germany to end its longest stretch of coalition haggling heaved a sigh of relief.

French President Emmanuel Macron reacted by calling the SPD decision good news for Europe, while EU Economic Affairs Commissioner Pierre Moscovici praised the party for its responsible and decisive vote.